KISS – Alive II
KISS – Alive II [Remastered] (1997, Mercury Records/Casablanca Records)
Original Release: 1977, Casablanca Records
DISC 1
1. “Detroit Rock City (3:56)
2. “King of the Night Time World” (3:05)
3. “Ladies Room” (3:14)
4. “Makin’ Love” (3:13)
5. “Love Gun” (3:40)
6. “Calling Dr. Love” (3:35)
7. “Christine Sixteen” (2:45)
8. “Shock Me” (5:51)
9. “Hard Luck Woman” (3:06)
10. “Tomorrow and Tonight” (3:25)
DISC 2
11. “I Stole Your Love” (3:35)
12. “Beth” (2:24)
13. “God of Thunder” (5:16)
14. “I Want You” (4:14)
15. “Shout It out Loud” (3:39)
16. “All-American Man” (3:13)
17. “Rockin’ in the USA” (2:36)
18. “Larger Than Life” (3:59)
19. “Rocket Ride” (4:07)
20. “Any Way You Want It” (2:33)
Band:
Paul Stanley – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Gene Simmons – Lead Vocals, Bass, Guitar (“Larger Than Life”)
Ace Frehley – Guitar, Lead Vocals, Bass (“Rocket Ride”)
Peter Criss – Drums, Lead Vocals
Additional Musicians:
Bob Kulick – Guitar (“All American Man”, “Rockin’ in the U.S.A.”, “Larger Than Life”)
Produced by: Eddie Kramer & KISS
For their second live album (coming a short two years after their first one), KISS wisely featured no repeated performances. Only songs from the three albums they had released since Alive! (Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over, Love Gun) were showcased here. The end result is an Alive album that is almost as strong as the original Alive!.
The last five songs are studio tracks recorded specifically for this album. They’re a mixed bag. “All-American Man”, “Larger Than Life” and “Rocket Ride” are very good, but “Rockin’ in the USA” and their cover of The Dave Clark Five’s “Any Way You Want It” are awful. Don’t quote me on this, but I don’t think KISS has ever played any of those five songs live.
This was the first KISS album I bought. I was on winter break visiting some friends in Virginia and we went to Walmart just to browse. I had started to get curious about KISS and for whatever reason, this was the album I picked up. I didn’t like it at first. Even my friend mentioned “this album sucks” and it very nearly killed the deal from the get-go. But I hung in, picked up Psycho Circus and then went for the rest of the catalog. The rest is history, KISS is my favorite band.
Just like the original vinyl version, this 2 CD set included some rub-on KISS tattoos. It’s always a nice touch when a CD reissue tries to keep the charm of the vinyl.
I the album cover though and I always have. The Alive! cover is so iconic and it makes you go “WOW! This has got to be a killer show!” This cover has always looked very cheap to me and hasn’t held up over time.
Highlights: “Detroit Rock City”, “Makin’ Love”, “Love Gun”, “Hard Luck Woman”, “I Stole Your Love”, “God of Thunder”, “I Want You”, “All-American Man”, “Larger Than Life”, “Rocket Ride”
Posted on July 23, 2009, in KISS and tagged Ace Frehley, Classic Rock, Gene Simmons, Glam, Glam Metal, Glam Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, KISS, Metal, Music, Paul Stanley, Peter Criss, Rock. Bookmark the permalink. 5 Comments.
Metal Excess 
This was my first KISS album too.
Except I was eight years old, it was 1978 and the album was new.
In my mind back then, it was like comic book superheroes were playing music. And the blood on the album cover was shocking to my at that time.
I became a KISS fan for life!
My second KISS album. I like this better than ALIVE because it had the songs from DESTROYER &
(sorry…..let me finish)
ROCK AND ROLL OVER. Plus, I liked the fact that they gave you new songs too.
Steve
Heavy Metal Addiction
http://heavymetaladdiction.com
>My second KISS album.
Which was your first one?
>I like this better than ALIVE because it had the songs from DESTROYER & ROCK AND ROLL OVER.
And Love Gun.
>Plus, I liked the fact that they gave you new songs too.
Which of those five songs do you like the best? I’d choose “All American Man“. “Any Way You Want It” is the worst of them.
first Kiss album i’ve ever owned, its perfect.